


Something Blue

by bluestbluetoeverblue



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcoholic John Winchester, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Recovering Alcoholic Dean Winchester, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 00:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15960596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluestbluetoeverblue/pseuds/bluestbluetoeverblue
Summary: In which Sam gets married and the best men pretend to date.





	Something Blue

Dean has seen this day coming since he first met Jess when Sam brought her home for winter break. They were in love and happy and there was no way she would say no when Sam asked. When Sam shows Dean the ring, Dean claps him on the back with a grin and says what a big brother is supposed to say. Dean couldn’t be happier for his brother when the two started making wedding plans. His love life may have been in shambles, but nothing would stop him from being the best damn best man.

Dean watches the two of them laugh through the rehearsal, giddy with excitement at the prospect of marrying each other. Dean has been in love a few times but never like this. Even with Lisa, whom Dean thought he could spend the rest of his life with, he knows now that it wasn’t a love like this. A love like what his parents had. The thought makes Dean shudder as he watches Jess’ father open a bottle of champagne across the busy dinner space. Let Sam love Jess a little less than John loved Mary. He can’t imagine his shining little brother being pushed into the same grief. Dean pushes the idea away and tries to focus on the celebration in front of him. Jessica’s family is big compared to Sam’s handful of reserved seats, and they keep the night cheerful and loud.

“Dean!” Jess pops up beside him as beautiful as ever, the joy radiating from her blonde curls. She grabs his arm, and he smiles. Beside her stands a man a few inches shorter than him with dark hair and tanned skin, looking out of place in a wrinkled blue suit.

“This is Castiel,” Jess says with a smile.

“The fabled other best man.” Dean sticks his hand out, and Castiel shakes it. His hands are warm.

“I know I’m late,” he says in a voice like gravel, “but I’d never miss these two finally tying the knot.”

“Better late than never,” Jess says. Dean nods.

“It’s nice to put a face to the name,” Dean says. “They never shut up about you.” Jess gives him a playful push. Cas was Sam’s roommate in college, so he has been a recurring character in California stories for the last few years.

“Same here,” Cas agrees.

“Come on,” Jess says as she pulls Cas away. “My mother’s been asking about you all day.”

As they walk away, Bobby wanders over, looking grateful to have found Dean in the party. He hasn’t seen Bobby interact with anyone outside of home, the garage, or the Roadhouse in years.

“How’re you doing, kid?” he asks, handing Dean a club soda.

“I’m good, Bobby. Just happy for Sam.” He takes a drink to prove it and pulls out a meager smile. Appeased, Bobby watches the other Winchester working his way through the room, greeting every guest.

“Your daddy wouldn’t believe this. Sam coming home and bringing a Stanford girl with him. He was sure he’d lost him for good when he left for school.”

“He probably did. I’m not sure Sam would have come back before. The funeral was his first visit in a year.”

“I’m not saying he did everything right. Or anything right, for that matter. But no matter what you believe, he would've been happy for Sam. Proud of him, too. Just like he was proud of you.”

Dean takes another drink, wishing with every fiber of his being that it was of something stronger. He doesn’t say anything, and an understanding silence settles.

“I don’t know if Sam has told you yet, but I wanted to give you a heads up that—” Bobby is interrupted by the crashing sound of food platters and warmers tumbling from a table. They both make their way towards the commotion, which turns out to be a short, loud man who is lying atop the collapsed table eating a half-spilled cup of shrimp cocktail. Before Dean can wonder which of Jess’ cousins he is, Castiel appears and pulls the man to his feet.

“I told you to go sleep it off in your room,” Cas says in a heated voice.

“It’s a PARTY, Cassy,” the man slurs. “And I was hungry!” He takes another bite of shrimp as the party begins to resume around them and the couple of the hour show up.

“Gabriel?” Sam asks, taking in the disheveled man.

“Samuel,” he nearly yells, stepping over his mess to slap an arm awkwardly up around Sam’s shoulder. “You thought I’d miss your big day?”

“That is what your RSVP said,” Jessica says, hiding a grin.

“RSVPs are just for estimates,” Gabriel replies.

“I’m sorry.” Castiel’s face is stony as he looks at Gabriel. “He was in the middle of the latest romantic meltdown and begged to come with. And then he got drunk on the plane.”

“Pre-game!” Gabriel yells.

“It’s fine,” Sam laughs. “We’re glad you’re here, Gabe.”

***

Jess turns in early for bed, and when the last of her tipsy extended family find their rooms, Dean is left sitting at a table with Sam, Castiel, and Gabriel, who is still balking at the news that Sam didn’t have a bachelor party.

“You’re telling me neither of you had one? It’s tradition!”

“I didn’t see the need,” Sam explains. “Our wedding party consists of exactly two people, and one of them just got here today. And the wedding itself is plenty of excitement.”

“You have to have a bachelor party. Right now, before it’s too late. We’ll throw you one!” Gabe’s eyes are even wilder now that he’s sobered up some. Sam tries to laugh the suggestion off. “Come on, our last night out before you’re tied down forever! It’ll be like the good old days.”

“Jess always went out with us at school,” Castiel says. Gabe rolls his eyes.

“There’s a bar just down the block. Come on.”

Dean watches Sam weigh the situation in his head. He looks over at him. Dean shrugs, deferring to whatever Sam wants. Finally, Sam relents.

“Okay, _one_ drink.”

It isn’t too late, but the bar is already crowded. Gabriel orders a couple of shots and Sam graciously partakes before gluing an untouched beer into his hand. Dean claims them a table and watches Sam bob his head at the edge of the dance floor, playing witness to Gabe’s variety of flamboyant moves. Castiel takes a seat beside Dean to watch the show as well.

“Sorry about my brother,” Cas says after taking a sip of his drink. “He has a tendency to make things all about him.”

“Sam doesn’t seem to mind.”

“He and Jess were always good to him in college. They’re more patient than I am. They’re the only friends he’s ever kept that weren’t dealing drugs or doing them all the time.”

Dean chuckles remembering the one and only time Sam smoked pot in high school and was so paranoid that Dean had to pick him up in the middle of the night.

“Did you want a drink?” Cas asks after a minute.

“Nah, I’m good.”

“You sure? Gabe’s buying.”

“I’m an alcoholic,” Dean says evenly. The words still feel strange in his mouth, an identity he never wanted to claim.

“Oh,” Castiel says. “Is this the wrong place for you to be?”

“No, I’m used to it. I’m at my family’s bar most of the time anyways. It’s not so hard when I’m with people, especially Sam.”

Castiel nods. He’s quiet, Dean’s noticed. The complete opposite of his brother. But his quietness isn’t awkward; Dean feels oddly comfortable as long as he doesn’t look at those piercing blue eyes.

“So when are you going back to California?” Dean asks to distract himself from thinking about Cas’ eyes for too long.

“Didn’t Sam tell you?” Cas says, head cocked slightly to the side. “I’m moving here. I might go back to tie up some loose ends but probably not until I find an apartment.”

“Why move here?” Dean can’t imagine leaving anywhere to move to his hometown. Cas pauses for a moment.

“Honestly, I don’t have much left out there. My only friends live here now, and I’m not exactly on speaking terms with my family. So I applied for a few jobs here.”

“And Gabriel?”

“He likes LA,” Cas says, “but I’m sure he’ll follow me out here within a year.”

Dean remembers the panic he felt watching an eighteen-year-old Sam walking through the airport towards a brand new life he wasn’t a part of. He wonders sometimes how different things might be if he had tried to leave home too.

“I know Sam’s been happy to be back home again,” Cas adds, turning to the figures on the dance floor. Dean rubs his hand over the sticky table.

“I hope so. Sometimes I think he only came back here for me.” Dean isn’t sure where this is coming from. It’s not something he would normally say to anyone, especially not a guy he met two hours ago.

“He used to talk about you like you hung the stars in the sky,” Cas says in that rough voice. “Whenever he came back from break he would worry about you. Especially after—”

Cas stops short as Sam approaches, an easy-going look on his face despite the fact that he’s practically dragging Gabriel behind him.

“What happened to one drink?” Dean asks.

“It’s my bachelor party,” Sam says, not quite drunk-drunk but closer than he needed to be on the night before his wedding.

“Let’s go,” Dean says.

After what feels like an hour of protest, they finally leave Gabriel there. Sam squints in the light of the hotel lobby and leans against Dean briefly. Cas pauses to help, but they are interrupted by a stern “Sam Winchester.”

Ellen is standing at the front desk with suitcase and a harsh look on her face.

“What on earth are you doing out at this hour?”

“Ellen,” Sam says happily. “I’m glad you made it.” Dean is still supporting part of Sam’s weight as they step forward to meet her. Castiel quietly moves to Sam’s other side.

Ellen narrows her eyes at Dean.

“We’re fine, Ellen, really,” Dean says, trying to convey in four words that this wasn’t his idea and that he hasn’t been drinking. His expression must be successful because she shakes her head and loosens up.

“You boys better get him to bed. And make sure he’s up on time. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Never having not listened to Ellen before, Dean escorts Sam to his room. Sam is running on empty and glad to call it a night.

“Dean?” he asks from inside the doorway.

“Yeah?” Dean pauses, eyes heavy as he leans against the door frame.

Sam looks at the ground as he says, “I wish they were here. To see it, you know?” Dean clenches his jaw then relaxes it and forces a small smile.

“Mom would like her,” he says, as if that makes the absence hurt less.

“How do you know?” Sam asks, and Dean smiles for real.

“Because I like her.”

Sam's face is shaded with sadness and happiness. His eyes gleam exactly like when he was a kid.

“Thanks, Dean.”

“You’re welcome. Now go to bed.” As he shuts the door, Dean slides down until he’s sitting with his back against the hallway wall. Castiel mimics the action and sits next to him.

“If that was exhausting, what’s the wedding gonna be like?” Dean grumbles. Cas smiles and traces the pattern in the carpet with his index finger.

“The woman downstairs,” he says softly, “Sam says she’s like a mother to you?”

“Yeah, she might as well be. Bobby—you probably met him at dinner, the one with that raggedy old trucker hat—he looked out for us mostly when we were kids. He got me a job at Ellen’s bar when I was eighteen, and she’s been lecturing us ever since.”

“I thought Sam said you were a mechanic.”

“I am now. Bobby’s been paying me under the table at the garage since I was fifteen, probably cause he knew I was the only one buying groceries, but I still needed the cash from bartending.”

Castiel listens to every word he says intently, his expression blank. He offers a small smile before looking down at the stitching in his coat.

“My parents were never very fond of us; they were cold and distant. I’m not sure why they had children. I haven’t been home since I left for college. It’s not the same thing, but I can imagine you’re thankful that Bobby and Ellen are here.”

Dean nods and wonders whether that was how Sam and Castiel first went from roommates to friends. Does the admissions office place students with deadbeat parents together on purpose?

“Sam told you about our dad back in school?” Castiel nods, cerulean eyes hesitant. “He was too drunk to recognize us long before the crash, so we learned early on that blood doesn’t make you family.”

“Jessica may have an abundance of cousins, but Sam’s seats are quite filled as well. And I know you’re the only one he needs here.”

Dean can’t help but laugh under his breath. Castiel squints at him, and under the too bright lights of the hotel hallway, his messy raven hair almost seems to reflects gold. Dean shakes his head. He shouldn’t be having this conversation here, now, with a total stranger. But Dean feels more comfortable on the hall floor than he does talking to most people. Cas may be Jessica’s best man, but he is Sam’s best friend too, Dean knows. Someone he can trust and maybe someone he wants to trust.

“Sam’s picture of me has always been skewed,” Dean says in a rush.

“How do you mean?”

“He sees me as the big brother who got a job and took care of him because our parents couldn’t. The truth is, our dad wasn’t a bad guy. He didn’t try to abandon his kids. He could just never grieve. Just drank himself to death. But who says I wasn’t going to end up the exact same way?”

“You can’t blame him and call your own addiction a disease,” Castiel concludes.

“It’s hard enough without knowing I’m just like the guy I hated all these years.”

“You’ve come this far,” Cas says softly, his hand on Dean’s shoulder. They meet each other’s gaze, and Dean knows that Castiel is someone who only speaks what he thinks is true. There is something comforting about that as Dean leans into the touch.

***

Castiel’s hand on his shoulder is the first thing Dean thinks about when he wakes up the next morning. The warmth and how solid it felt over Dean’s canvas jacket. The second thing Dean thinks about is how he let his own eyes linger far too long on Cas’ lips before mumbling something about getting to sleep at a reasonable hour and bolting. Dean groans into the pillow, pushing the awkward moment away before realizing that he should probably be waking Sam up for his wedding.

His wedding which requires Dean to be in close proximity with the source of his embarrassment for a significant portion of the day. What the hell was he thinking spilling his guts to a guy he barely knows? A guy who was probably telling Jess right now how awkward Dean had been last night. But Sam is bursting with excitement as he gets dressed, and Dean can’t help but be happy at the sight of a smiling Sam in his tux. He vows to put all selfish thoughts aside today. He is on his way to Jess’ room with a hand written note, probably some sappy last words from Sam before they meet at the altar, when he turns a corner and stops cold. The panic is a rush in his hands. He stands frozen as Lisa sees him.

“Hi, Dean.”

“What are you doing here?” Her brunette hair is swept up in a complicated braid, and she’s wearing a green dress which Dean has seen before.

“Jess invited everyone from the hospital. I figured you were okay with it.” Her eyes are sincere. Dean’s mouth goes dry.

“Of course I am.” Once the words are out, he’s able to pull together his normal quality bullshit. “It’s a wedding. We should all be celebrating.” He flashes a smile he hopes is convincing. Before he can dwell too much, someone in a gray suit walks up and slips his arm around Lisa.

“Hey,” he says to her. “Ready to go?”

Lisa nods with a smile.

“Uh, this is Dean, the best man. And this is Gordon—” she hesitates for a second. “my plus one.”

He and Gordon shake hands, exchange nice to meet yous, as Dean’s face burns.

“Are you here with anyone?” Lisa asks hopefully, and Dean can’t even be mad at her because he can tell how uncomfortable she is too.

“Yeah, I am.” The words are out before Dean can even process the question. Lisa’s face lights up.

“That’s fantastic! I hope we can meet them at the reception?”

Dean isn’t a stranger to lying. The last few years were wrought with it to the point that he was lying to Sam and Bobby about things he had no reason to lie about. It had to be her of all goddamn people, he yells in his head.

“Well, actually…”

He’s not sure if he’s going to create another lie or come clean, and he never finds out.

“That would be me.” Dean didn’t see Castiel turn up behind him and has no idea how long he’s been there. He turns to find a wide smile and pointed blue eyes. “Castiel Novak.” He sticks his hand out as Lisa and Gordon introduce themselves.

Lisa’s eyes flick curiously over Castiel and back to Dean’s frozen smile. Dean isn’t sure exactly what is going on, so he just stays quiet until Gordon suggests that they better find some seats for the ceremony.

“It was nice meeting you, Castiel. See you later, hopefully?” Lisa smiles and turns with Gordon around the corner. Dean rounds on Castiel and finds a blank face.

“What the hell was that?” Dean asks.

“I hope I didn’t put you in a worse position. It looked like you needed someone to pull you out.”

“Okay, but now at least two people think we’re a couple, so what am I supposed to do now?”

“I suppose that we will have to keep up the charade until the wedding is over.” Castiel says this as if it is the easiest and most obvious solution in the world. He seems rather untroubled. Dean rubs his hands over his face. How did he get himself into this?

“The wedding that all of my closest friends are attending? And they’re supposed to know that I’m dating a guy they’ve barely heard of?”

Cas ponders this for a moment before responding, “Our intent was to not take away from Jessica and Sam’s day, and we were going to tell people if things got serious.”

“That…” He can’t believe he’s doing this. “That actually makes sense. But listen, you don’t have to spend your time lying for me.”

“It’s only one night, Dean.”

***

The ceremony is a blur. One second Jess is walking down the aisle looking radiant, the next Dean is blinking back tears, and then they’re all clapping. After the pictures are taken and the buffet is served, Dean slips away from the head table to fall into the seat next to Bobby.

“Well, I don’t think Sammy needs us anymore,” Dean sighs as he watches Sam and Jess whispering to each other across the room.

“Bullshit,” Bobby replies, but he’s watching Sam with a smile too.

“You get a second with him this weekend?”

“No,” Bobby says easily. “Let him be the busy groom. I’ll pull him aside later.” He turns and studies Dean carefully.

“What?” Dean grumbles.

“I heard a rumor among the guests.”

“What rumor?”

“That the best men are dating.”

Dean rolls his eyes. Lisa was never a gossip, but her voice tended to carry.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Dean says. He made a promise not to lie to Bobby ever again.

“We talked for a little while at dinner last night. He seems nice, maybe a little quiet. Quiet could be good for you.”

Dean leans back in his chair and closes his eyes. Bobby Singer has said approximately six words expressing real emotion in all the time Dean has known him. And now this?

He can’t tell the whole truth, so he only tells part of it: “I’m sure he’s too good for me.” When he opens his eyes, Bobby is staring straight at him. Before anything matching the anger on his face can come out, something catches his eye and he sighs.

“Unless you want the third degree from Ellen about this, I suggest you get up now.” Dean doesn’t hesitate. He spends the rest of the night at the main table to avoid having to answer any more awkward questions and, hopefully, Lisa. Castiel spends most of the night there as well, and Dean realizes that he probably knows next to no one there.

The bride and groom spend their time on the dance floor and thanking their guests table by table. Dean finally gets up and moves to Jess’ seat.

“You don’t want to spend the night with your family?” Castiel asks.

“I’m trying to avoid Lisa,” he confesses. “Besides, we’re supposed to be here together, right?” Castiel smiles. “You gonna finish that?” Dean asks, pointing to the untouched piece of pizza on the table.

“All yours,” Cas says. Dean grabs the plate and takes large, ungraceful bites. He can feel Cas’ smile on him. They sit for a few hours talking as Dean eats off of any plate Cas brings. They are laughing about a story involving Sam somehow being locked out of the dorm freshman year for hours in his boxers. Dean’s already leaning forward watching the laugh lines appear around Castiel’s face when he decides to kiss him.

“Sorry,” Dean says after the pull apart, eyes finding the floor.

“It’s alright,” Cas replies, a hint of surprise in his voice, “I am your date for the night. Kissing seems fair.”

“I should go.”

Before Cas can say anything, he stands and slips out of the room, cursing himself as he walks past the restrooms and, of course, Lisa.

“Hi,” she says in a careful voice. She looks behind him for second, and Dean turns to see Cas coming up the hall with a worried look. He turns back to Lisa.

“Why the hell are you even here? What makes you think I would be okay with it? Just stay the hell away from me.”

He brushes past her and thinks for a moment that he’s made it safely to the elevator when Cas steps in after him.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fucking fantastic, Cas.” He knows the anger is misdirected, but the words come out harsh anyway. “I ruined the only real relationship I’ve ever been in because I’m just like my shitty dad, and I’m still paying for it. I don’t even want to be with Lisa so why am I lying to her?” He slams a hand against the wall as the elevator begins to ascend.

“I couldn’t say,” Cas says. “Perhaps because you are embarrassed.” For some reason, this only sets Dean on fire.

“You’re the one who lied! Why couldn’t you just stay out of it?”

“I am sorry that I got involved. I was only trying to help.”

“Well stop helping, Cas! You’re not my boyfriend.”

“No, I’m not.”

They stare at each other in their wrinkled tuxedos, Dean fuming, Castiel steady. Something in the way he says it brings Dean out of the rage. And for the second time that night, he kisses him. It lasts longer than the brief kiss at the party. Cas is flush up against the elevator wall, his hands on Deans hips as Dean kisses him. Then they reach the fourteenth floor, the elevator door opens, and Dean walks away.

***

Dean finds Sam the next day to apologize for ditching the party. He doesn’t give an explanation, but Sam doesn’t seem worried. Jess looks at Dean carefully but doesn’t say a word.

Dean stops by Bobby’s office before work on Monday and apologizes for lying to him. Bobby doesn’t ask what about, just tells him to have the old Ford in the lot done by noon.

Dean spends a week working it out in his head and writing notes on scraps of paper before he calls Lisa and apologizes for everything.

Dean starts seeing his therapist once a week again.

***

He’s there to pick up Jo and go to a movie because he can’t spend his day off sitting at home bored. The Roadhouse is devoid of paying customers on the Wednesday morning, but he can hear as he opens the door Sam’s voice shouting up the backstairs, Ellen’s voice shouting down, and finally Sam’s boots on the stairs. He shakes his head and heads for the employee entrance before he notices Cas sitting behind the bar.

“You a bartender now?” Dean asks. Castiel looks up at him with a prudent expression on his face.

“You here for a drink?”

Dean meets those blue eyes and takes a seat. He has to get it over with sometime.

“I’m sorry about the wedding,” he starts. Cas stands behind the bar and listens, so he continues. “Seeing Lisa brought a lot of things up I had been trying not to think about. She was the first person to point out my problem and when we broke up it was the start of me hitting rock bottom. I shouldn’t have lied. It was nice of you to try to help me, and it was my mistake to go along with it.” Cas is still just listening intently. “I was embarrassed, but that doesn’t make anything I said to you alright. You didn’t deserve that, and I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” Castiel says.

“And…” Dean looks down at the counter, a blush creeping up the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about the kiss.”

“Are you?”

Dean jerks his eyes up. Cas has taken a step forward, and his cheeks are a faint pink.

***

“Dean?” The voice pulls him out his head. He looks in the mirror one last time and turns to the source. Sam is holding out a neatly folded piece of cream paper. “Brought you something, but you’re not supposed to open it until the last second.” Dean gives him a look, but Sam just shakes his head with a grin. Dean rolls his eyes and slips the paper in his pocket. Sam steps closer to adjust something on his jacket before beaming at him. “I wasn’t sure we’d ever be here. You ready?”

Dean thinks about his mother. About Sam and the rest of his family. About John. Then he takes a deep breath and nods. His stomach is in knots, but the smile on his face is genuine as they make their way through the halls and approach a set of doors. He takes another breath and pulls the note out of his pocket.

 

_Don’t be nervous. We always do great at weddings._

_Love you more than I knew was possible._

 

The first thing Dean sees as they walk through the doors is an extremely pregnant Jess walking with excitement. Then there’s Cas taking his spot in a tailored suit, hair as messy as ever, blue eyes glued on him. Dean steps forward and takes his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!
> 
> [Buy me a coffee if you enjoyed it?](https://ko-fi.com/L4L4WBXK#)
> 
> xoxo


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